Top Questions

1.

Does Wetherby get compensated for selling certain types of products? Are there commissions?

No. There are no in-house products. That means no commissions. No bias. What you get is objective, research-based advice. We’re known as an independent registered investment advisor, which means we earn a fee for the assets under management, not for the investments we recommend.

2.

How are you different from other financial advisory firms?

We believe the combination of the following attributes truly sets us apart:

Our overarching mission is to provide exceptional client service and strong risk-adjusted returns. We achieve that through a blend of competence, caring, and passion.

We truly customize portfolios to suit each client’s needs, and will find specific investments when that helps achieve the ultimate goal.

We are forward looking. That means our service offerings evolve whenever the opportunity to better serve our clients becomes available. For example, we were early adopters of impact investing, an investment approach that offers financial merit and supports those clients with an interest in positive societal impact.

We’re 100 percent privately owned and encourage equity ownership. Many of our employees are Wetherby shareholders. Everyone here has the potential to own equity in the firm, and this helps us attract and keep great people.

Our founder, Deb Wetherby, drew from her experience as a broker for a major Wall Street investment bank and an auditor for one of the largest accounting firms in the world to start the firm. Her view was to combine the best of both worlds and create a firm unlike any other: investment advisors who provide independent, objective advice with the goal of outstanding client service. She also wanted to build a close-knit team of professionals that demonstrated the values of a happy, connected family.

3.

If I decide to hire Wetherby, what happens next?

You probably will have met and talked to some or all of the people who would be working on your team. Once you hire us, we’ll start with an official kickoff meeting. We’ll ask you a lot of questions and listen carefully before suggesting a plan that thoughtfully considers your goals and objectives. Our focus is on what you want the money to do for you, and not on the money itself, therefore your goals and values will drive our recommended changes to your existing portfolio and future investments.

4.

What does it take to become a Wetherby employee?

We’re very selective about finding people whose values fit into our culture. What do we look for? Someone whose eyes light up when we talk about our passion for exceptional service. Someone with intelligence that acts with good judgment. Someone with a strong set of skills and strong opinions, who isn’t hesitant to voice them, but who recognizes the value of listening, collective decision-making, and respecting other’s opinions.

5.

What is your investment philosophy?

We focus on a combination of growth and protection when building portfolios. We want our clients’ portfolios to weather the storms and be able to capitalize on strong markets. To do that, we emphasize a long-term view of investing, with an intense research bias in considering market trends and selecting the right managers. The investment process section of our website has more detail.

6.

What’s your client mix? Do you work mostly with individuals or organizations?

Approximately 95% of our clients are individuals and families, and in some cases, we support multiple generations of an extended family. The remainder of our clients are institutions, like foundations, endowments and non-profits.

7.

What’s your minimum investment, and what are your fees?

Our minimum is $10 million in assets. Our fees are based on assets under management. We charge 0.75% on the first $10 million of net asset value. Our fee percentage decreases as the asset level increases.

We don’t bill for additional advice or services within the standard scope of wealth management. Our fees are all-inclusive. For example, we have clients who want our advice on assets we don’t manage for them, and we don’t charge for that. We also have clients who are revising a will or trust, and we’ll bring in a staff expert to provide guidance, again, for no additional fee.

8.

Where can I find your ADV?

Our ADV (the form used by investment advisers to register with the Securities and Exchange Commission) can be found here: Part 2A and Part 2B.

9.

Who will I work with, and how is that decided?

Your team will generally include a wealth manager, an investment associate, and an operations associate. Plus, you’ll have a support team that includes research and other client service support, from regular communication and education offerings to our comprehensive quarterly reporting. We consider the nuances of your specific needs, as well as your personality, when we’re selecting a team to support you.

10.

Why should I choose Wetherby?

Wetherby has been working with clients for 25 years and still retains a boutique feel. Because we are employee-owned, a tremendous amount of care goes into each client relationship. While we have grown over those 25 years, we have always centered on thoughtful growth, adding resources such as estate planning experts when it allows us to serve our clients even better and enhance our client service teams. That means you can count on a consistent team of individuals who are looking out for your interests, supplemented by subject matter experts who can add a different dimension to address your particular situation or life changes.

Though every client situation is different, our tenure, diversity of client situations, and diversity of staff means we’ve encountered and helped resolve many complex client situations in our history and have done so in a holistic manner.